This week we will focus on 3 types of disabilities that you often see in public schools (Specific Learning Disability, Autism and Communication). Spend a few hours researching and share your thinking around successful inclusive practices . Consider "Anthony" is this discussion and share out ideas that could support his successful integration into his school and community. Your initial response should be 300+ words with at least 2 responses to other participants.

Specific Learning Disability

​What is and isn’t a learning disability (LD)? LD is more than a difference or difficulty with learning — it is a neurological disorder that affects the brain's ability to receive, process, store, and respond to information (click on image to get to webpage).​

Communication

A communication disability disability is an impairment in the ability to receive, send, process, and comprehend concepts or verbal, nonverbal and graphic symbol systems. A communication disorder may be evident in the processes of hearing, language, and/or speech. A communication disorder may range in severity from mild to profound.

I think there are so many great ways teachers and communities can include children with disabilities in their classrooms and communities. It is extremely important that a teacher knows their students’ strengths and weaknesses. Students with a Special Learning Disability need to be taught using their learning strengths rather than their weaknesses (Dyslexia Explained: What's It Like Being Dyslexic?). In addition, positive specific feedback is useful for students with a Special Learning Disability. Often students with Autism learn by specific examples, so teachers should come up with specific examples when teaching certain words and concepts (this will also help other students). For example, when teaching the concept of “up", teachers can give examples like “the dog went up the stairs", “the kite went up in the air”, “the cup was put up on the shelf” and “I picked up the paperclip” (Temple Grandin: "The Autistic Brain"). Teachers and community members also need to be aware of children’s behaviors; they need to make it clear that bullying is unacceptable. Students with learning disabilities often face bullying and do not know how to handle it/speak up so teachers really need to be involved and alert.

From what I have seen and read on Anthony, I believe he falls under all three disabilities: Specific Learning Disability, Autism, and Communication. With Anthony, we see his therapists giving him positive specific feedback, which encourages him to do his work. His classroom teachers can continue giving him positive specific feedback. Considering Anthony does not see his daily communication sheet until he gets home, teachers can help Anthony throughout the day by updating him with his progress on his daily communication sheet. Anthony also works well when he has a daily schedule. Creating a visual schedule for Anthony to follow in the classroom will help him stay organized (this will also help other students know the plan for the day). Anthony would also greatly benefit from differentiated instruction. To be completely honest, I think the only way for Anthony to succeed academically in an inclusive classroom would be if he had a one-to-one aid that explicitly specialized in his needs. From observing Anthony, we see that he is responsive when working one-on-one with a therapist, so it would be best to have someone with him at all times in an inclusive classroom to assist him academically, socially, and emotionally. In addition, I think it would be beneficial for Anthony to receive extra support outside of the classroom. The skills he learns during intervention and therapy will assist him in communicating and creating friendships with his classmates.

On a side note, I really enjoyed the video featuring Steven Spielberg. I think Spielberg is a great example of someone who has been extremely successful despite having a disability.

I also think it is extremely important to use the students strengths to their advantages. Trying to have a student learn by doing something they are not particularly great at can set them back in the classroom. It is our jobs as teachers to make sure each student is getting the most out of their education.

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Elizabeth Watts

7/22/2017 04:31:54 pm

Lindsey,

I like a lot of the support ideas you thought of for Anthony, including a visual schedule, and a one-on-one aide, but wonder which if he is already getting these supports. I also wonder if there is another student who could benefit form an aide, because having a two-on-one aide might also be beneficial for Anthony.

I also like how you discussed bullying. Bullying has been an increasing problem in schools across America, so I wonder if, and what kind of bullying Anthony has been exposed to and what his response, the school's response, and his family's response was.

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Caitlin Kelleher

7/23/2017 12:48:22 pm

Hi Lindsey!
I agree with you! As teachers, we need to use the students strengths to help them learn. It is a teachers job to understand their students and find out how you can support the students learning. Also, I agree with you that Anthony should use a visual schedule. He would benefit from looking at the pictures on the schedule to figure out what he has to do that day. If the teacher creates a visual schedule with a pocket chart, Anthony could take the pictures out of the chart once he has completed the subject/ assignment.

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James McDonough

7/24/2017 06:37:25 am

Hi Lindsey,
I agree that Anthony definitely seems to have all three disabilities. It was also very interesting to learn that Stephen Spielberg had dyslexia.

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Yan Li Xu

7/25/2017 05:36:16 am

Hi Lindsey,
I agree with your support ideas for Anthony and it is important to use student’s strength to help them succeed. I also watched the Steven Spielberg video and he is a great example of how a person with disability can succeed. I feel that for people famous like Steven Spielberg or Temple Grandin to discuss their disability will help de- stigmatize the term a lot.

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Caitlin Kelleher

7/20/2017 07:47:54 pm

The first video I watched was Dyslexia Explained: What It Is Like Being Dyslexic. I enjoyed watching this video because it was created in the view of a student who is dyslexic and how they struggled in school and test taking. I liked how this video explained how dyslexia is called a specific learning disability. People who are dyslexic use their brains differently and need to find their strengths to learn. The video goes on to talk about famous people who are dyslexic and how they have used their strengths to their advantages to be successful once they have left school.

The second video I watched was BCC: My Autism and Me. This video was created in the view of a child who is autistic and how their brain works differently. The girl in the video describes autism as people who have problems relating to others and the world around them. People with autism look differently and no one looks the same. I enjoyed how this girl in the video talks about why she likes having autism; she has a wide imagination and the ability to remember impressive facts.

The third video I watched was Looney Tunes and Communications Disorders. This video discusses all of the Looney Tunes characters who have speech disorders. I didn’t know that the Looney Tunes characters had speech disorders until I studied speech disorders in an undergraduate class. As a kid, I thought the characters sounded funny because it was a cartoon. I ended up doing more research and found out that many television shows have characters with different disabilities.

Overall, I think Anthony has a Specific Learning Disorder, Communication Disorder, and Autism for what we have observed so far in class. Anthony has a difficult time in class and needs one-on-one support. A tool Anthony could use is a Now, Next Then Schedule. This is a visual schedule that shows what he will need to do and when he will need to do this. This could help Anthony with completing work in a small group or one-on-one setting. Also, Anthony has struggles with communicating his needs. Something that could help him is having different pictures card accessible for him to use when he needs something he might not be able to communicate.

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Lindsey Blackman

7/21/2017 07:43:03 am

Caitlin,

I think suggesting that Anthony use a Now, Next Then Schedule is a great idea! It seems like he responds well to structure so a schedule will be sure to help him. I think the whole class would benefit from a visual schedule as well. I also think having picture cards for him to explain what he is feeling and/or thinking is a good idea. Maybe he could even create these cards himself with a therapist; that way he as a connection to the picture and know exactly what it is.

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Brianna Normile

7/22/2017 10:02:11 am

Caitlin,
I thought the Looney Toons video was extremely interesting because it outlined some of the disorders that someone could have. Now thinking about it, there are many different TV shows that have characters with disorders, such as Sesame Street and Pooh Bear. I think we can learn a lot from these shows and our students can learn to accept as well.

I thought the My Autism and Me video was great as well because she is able to talk openly about her Autism.

I think it would benefit Anthony from using the now, next, then schedule too. It would keep him organized and be able to complete work. I also think it would be great for him to use picture cards as well and possibly some sign language to help communicate with others.

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Elizabeth Watts

7/22/2017 04:24:02 pm

Caitlin,

I loved how throughout your response the common theme was talking about the strengths of student with special needs. It is so easy to look at what they can't do.

I also really like your idea of having a first and then board for Anthony. From what we have seen he seems to be willing to do most work but there are times when I think he would benefit from having a visual reminder of a preferred activity that he gets to do after his un-preferred activity.

James McDonough

7/24/2017 06:38:48 am

Yeah, it is kind of interesting to recognize that the Looney Toons characters had speech disorders. Of course, in this day in age, that would be considered politically incorrect to show.

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Lily Montagna

7/24/2017 02:20:13 pm

Caitlin,

I had forgotten that inclusive practice can be characterized as individual interventions that could support the student in the general education classroom - I was pigeon-holing myself on tools that would be used with the entire classroom in order for it to qualify as "inclusive." I appreciate your example as it expanded my understanding of inclusive practice within the classroom.

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Haley Alwardi

7/24/2017 03:40:30 pm

Caitlyn,
I totally agree with your idea of the now, next, then schedule! I wrote about in for Anthony in my response as well! I think that he would benefit from it a lot! Doing ABA this summer I have used those schedules with almost all of my students and it was very helpful to them to know what was going to be happening. As for the communication a lot of my kids have small binders with pages with velcro and different cards attached for all different foods and activities and toys. The students can pick what they want and attach it to the velcro on the front of binder. This way we know what the student is trying to tell us. I think this tool would be very helpful for Anthony!

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Brianna Normile

7/22/2017 09:56:47 am

I decided to watch the video with Whoopi Goldberg. She talked about her experience with Dyslexia. She explained that it was better that she was actually diagnosed with dyslexia because she didn’t have to explain to people why she was having a hard time. She had a reason for her challenges in school. She also explains how her brain inputs information differently, and she likes that about herself. I found this video interesting because I feel like some people try to hide their disabilities or disorders, when really, they should embrace them.
For the Autism section, I watched the video “The Autistic Brain”. Autism is a large spectrum that is not precise. It is a behavioral profile. There have been many changes in the autism spectrum because of different diagnosis of people. Over the past century, there have been many things added into the Autism spectrum. One of the most important things I took out of this video was to build on children’s strengths. When we as teachers have students like Anthony, we have to use their strengths in order to teach them. This will not only benefit the student, but will also help us develop out teaching skills as well.
I was very interested to watch the Loony Toons video for the communication disorder section of the blog. Here they outlined 3 disorders. An Articulation disorder is when someone substitutes different letter in their speech. The second disorder is a stutter, where there is an interruption in the speech when trying to articulate sounds. The third the video talked about was a lisp, which is a type of substitution. Usually, people with a lisp substitute the sounds of the letters Z or S with Th because they have difficulty pronouncing the sounds. I also watched the Documentary of the Speech Therapists. It was interesting to hear from these teachers and what kinds of disorders they help with during the day. They work on Vocabulary, Nouns, Verbs, and helping the student have the necessary language they need to communicate. They also practice social skills to help students in settings with peers. We know Anthony sees a speech therapist, which is great, but I also think it is important for him to learn the communication skills to help him socialize.

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Caitlin Kelleher

7/23/2017 12:40:39 pm

Hi Brianna!
I found the Loony Tones Video very interesting! It is crazy that I have grown up watching this cartoon and thought the characters "sounded weird" to be funny. It is clever the producer of this show created these characters with different communications disorders. Also, I wonder why the producer did this; were they trying to bring awareness to communications disorders?

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Lindsey Blackman

7/23/2017 05:53:32 pm

Brianna,

One of my biggest takeaways from the various videos on Autism was the idea of building on children's strengths, which is something I noticed you pointed out. I sometimes think it is easy to forget that we should not focus on weaknesses, rather focus on strengths. I like that you point out that teachers will be able to benefit from building on students' strengths. I agree that this is all a learning process for us as well.
I also enjoyed the Looney Toons video. I think the video may be a great tool to use for students to relate to if they have similar communication disorders. I agree that it is important for Anthony to learn the communication skills to help him succeed. It seems like Anthony's parents also want him to work on his social skills, so I think bringing a speech therapist in to assist him and teach him how to behave/interact with others would be extremely beneficial for him.

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Sam Sinotte

7/24/2017 06:32:57 pm

I too think it is important for Anthony to begin learning communication skills that will help him socially. I wonder if the 4th grade team of teachers next year have discussed this seeing as he will be in the classroom for science and social studies. From one of the more recent videos we saw of him, he appeared to have no appropriate social cues when near a peer. This concerns me, as when he gets older, his peers will come to conclusions of Anthony based off of his disability, rather than who he is as a person.

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Elizabeth Watts

7/22/2017 04:18:47 pm

Elizabeth Watts
SPE 542 Impact of Special Needs
Blog Reflection #3

Watching Susan Nolan teach a student with dyslexia using Orton Gillingham was fascinating to me because I was taught to read using some Orton Gillingham strategies. The lesson was very specific and explicit, which are instructional strategies that all students, especially those with special needs, can benefit from. I particularly like when the teacher helped the student remember the /e/ sound by talking about the edge of the “e”. By turning the shape of the letter into a strategy to remember the sound, the child is going to be able to accurately identify the sound more often. The fast pace of the lesson also stood out to me. They did several different activities; none of them were more than a minute or two, which is crucial because the tasks were challenging for the student, but keeping them short and helping her come to the correct answer kept her from getting frustrated. Most typically developing students do not need this extra support but I believe that the game where the student and the teacher had to identify syllable types is a game that could be played by the whole class, and that everyone would benefit from because it would help all students develop their knowledge of the English language.

Other inclusive strategies that would benefit all students include: pre-teaching, think alouds, explicitly teaching students how to reflect on their work, and teaching students to use graphic organizers to organize their thinking (Stefanini, 2017). By pre-teaching all students would activate and build on their background knowledge so that they are prepared to get the most out of their reading. This strategy can be easily incorporated into the general education classroom by taking five or ten minutes at the beginning of a lesson to have a group conversation, where students can help each other and build off each other’s idea. This also provides students, like Anthony, with an additional structured and scaffolded time to interact with peers. Think alouds can also be easily done in a general education classroom and benefit all students because they model a very explicit thought process for children that they can then replicate when they are working independently. Think alouds are also an extremely beneficial strategy for students like Anthony, who need to be explicitly taught language to express themselves. They only take a couple of minutes and they provide students with the language and structure necessary to check for comprehension. Graphic organizers are tools that the whole class benefit from because they require students to reproduce the information they have learned in a structured, organized way. Requiring someone to explain something increases their understanding and by explaining their thinking visually, in addition to orally and through reading and writing, many types of learners can be reached.

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Erin Bruce

7/24/2017 06:45:23 am

Elizabeth,

I wonder about the fast pace of the lessons in that video. If each lesson is less than a few minutes, what will help reiterate the concepts to the students to ensure understanding? For students struggling with processing, this may make these fun lessons very daunting and stressful; specifically if there was no pre-teaching concepts or allowing space for a post-lesson reflection. I haven't watched this video yet, but I will queue it up now!

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Lily Montagna

7/24/2017 02:17:32 pm

I love the strategies you suggested and how you pointed out that they would be beneficial for all students - that's definitely the nature of an inclusive classroom! All four of the strategies you mentioned also hone in on Anthony's need for organizational scaffolding and could be easily implemented by the classroom teacher. Thanks for your post!

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Lily Chase-Lubitz

7/23/2017 08:36:35 pm

I found this blog especially interesting as the articles and videos offered varied perspectives on Specific Learning Disability, Autism, and Communication disorders; I learned about these three disorders from educational, biological, and personal points of view. As I viewed and read these resources I thought about how Anthony would respond to these practices. If Anthony were to advance in his reading, writing, and verbal skills and could work with a one-on-one aid, I think that some of the Specific Learning Disability interventions could be beneficial for him.

An example of an effective classroom intervention for Dyslexic students is the “Before and After” strategies outlined on Weebly. These strategies allow students to review the main concepts and the vocabulary that will be introduced or used in the text before they need to participate in the larger classroom activity. Most importantly, students can listen to this review, which might alleviate some of the anxiety around reading and will also help these students comprehend the text more so than if they read it without any prior review. A second “Before” strategy is small reading groups. I think however, that these reading groups could be equally effective as an “After Reading” Strategy. I imagine that a student with Dyslexia often feels uncomfortable speaking in class. By implementing this strategy after reading rather than before, students have the opportunity to ask questions about the text that they might have originally missed due to their Dyslexia. By working with a small group or with a partner, a Dyslexic student might feel more comfortable speaking and sharing than they would have in a larger class setting. The small group work also allows for authentic conversation between students, which is significant in developing a student’s literacy.

While I clicked around the videos and articles on Autism and Communication disorders I stumbled upon information on TEACCH or, Treatment and Education of Autistic and Communication-Handicapped Children. TEACCH is a teaching methodology specifically designed for students with Autism or communication handicaps that implements a highly structured and visual “curriculum”. As I read further about TEACCH I thought about how helpful this method could be for Anthony. As we have seen in videos and in paperwork, Anthony requires organized, structured, environments. TEACCH caters to this by utilizing four components in their practice: Physical structure of the classroom, work systems, visual timetables, and task organization. In a TEACCH classroom the physical space is separated into defined work areas; visual cues assigned to the areas then clearly dictate where students play, read, work, etc. As a student mentioned in a video on TEACCH (link below), “different parts of the floor are where different learning takes place”. When it is time for students to work independently, the students go into their own workstation. This helps them remain concentrated. Each workstation contains very explicit, visual instruction as well as two different task boxes: “start” and “finished”. This helps the students stay very organized. Students also receive individual visual schedules or timetables that allows them to see what their personal day looks like.

The goal of TEACCH is to maximize a student’s potential as an independent individual in society (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddGLJ2r4rcw&t=1s). Although Anthony still requires one-on-one help from an aid or therapist, I think that the TEACCH approach would allow Anthony to be in a social setting that while receiving personalized instruction. TEACCH can also be used alongside other intervention programs or inclusion settings, which makes it a really versatile option.

I loved your writing about TEACCH. I thought it provided an excellent overview of the methodology, specifically in terms of Anthony. The video that you shared was very helpful, too, as it clearly showed how successful TEACCH can be when it is appropriately implemented into daily routines. I think that Anthony is likely taught some of these same ideas, though on a smaller scale since he is not often included in whole group instruction. I do agree with your sentiment though, and I think that creative teachers and specialists could include him in a whole group setting with a strong TEACCH focus, allowing him to still receive interventional supports. Great response!!

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Erin Bruce

7/24/2017 06:33:46 am

I watched a few videos for each disability. One video that really stood out to me was the mother sharing her strategy for helping her dyslexic son learn his spelling words. This mother had a great approach, and made sure to always highlight the phonics concept in each week for extra reinforcement (she even remembered to highlight prior concepts to show the reoccurrence). I thought her strategy with the three different colors and a picture was simple enough to be understood and it could easily be recreated in a classroom. Allowing the children to suggest pictures or draw some themselves would give a sense of ownership over the work. I was specifically interested in her son-- I wondered what the environment was like for him at school, if he was receiving enough support (since Mom thought of this idea on her own, instead of with the help of a specialist), and his success level. It would be very interesting to learn more about this specific case, but nonetheless the video showed a valuable strategy.

Next. I watched Wendy Choung's Ted Talk on Autism. I knew that vaccines were not the cause for autism, however I did not know that there were tangible links to understanding some causes of autism. For those of you that didn't watch this video, some of those causes were increased paternal age (at the time of conception), mother's medications during pregnancy (specifically links were shown between a drug for epilepsy and seizures), and DNA. While I knew a lot about autism itself and ways that diagnosis can effect students, I thought that this was important information to have when I am someday talking to a parent and they are asking questions about autism. I also read into the TEACCCH methodology, which is something that I have used in practice before under the guide of a lead teacher, but haven't read from the source.

In terms of Anthony, I could see how he could be effected by each of these three learning disability types (Specific Learning Disability, Autism, and Communication). From observations, I noticed that Anthony does well when he receives praise, and I believe he works hard to hear those words of affirmation. However, I think that given the complexities of these disabilities, Anthony's teachers should work to give more targeted feedback. This would allow reiteration of the concept ("wow, great job reading those blended phonemes!") and it also seems more sincere. Beyond that, I think that Anthony's scheduling is a great help if he is in fact autistic, and for his communication disorder. Previewing a schedule each night allows Anthony to prepare for the next day (something recommended by TEACCH) and it ensures that everyone involved is prepared, too. Additionally, the style of communication between his teachers and parents, like the daily logs, gives a clear demonstration of effective and appropriate communication to Anthony. The social stories that he writes and the videos he records also help contribute to this communication help as well.

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Lily Chase-Lubitz

7/24/2017 04:15:31 pm

Erin,

I really loved Wendy Choung's TED Talk on Autism. What I found especially fascinating was her explanation of the technology that is used on newborns to determine Autism. With this technology, doctors track a baby's eye movement to see if that baby makes eye contact with the person she is watching on the screen. Doctors found that when the baby's eye movement was scattered and wandering that child grew up to ultimately struggle with Autism. This could be an amazing way to detect Autism early on. This could allow parents to implement intervention therapies when their child is still a baby.

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James McDonough

7/24/2017 06:36:13 am

Autism is one of my favorite areas to research. It’s what my major is and I myself have Asperger Syndrome. When we were studying Anthony, I wasn’t too surprised to learn that he had autism. The first diagnosis we were told about in class was Apraxia. I also thought he might have had Tourette’s, since one of the reports mentioned swearing, which is a common trait of Tourette’s. However, one of the students in class mentioned that she didn’t think he had Tourette’s since she works with those types of kids and he didn’t show any other symptoms. Something I talked about in my presentation is Applied Behavior Analysis, which is a method commonly used for children on the autism spectrum. However, I have learned in my autism course this semester that it can also be used for other disabilities. This approach focuses on the principles that explain how learning takes place. It could be very useful for Anthony. Most public schools have a behavior analyst on staff now, so if there is one in Anthony’s school, then they might want him to start working with them. In regards to things like stuttering, I will admit that it is a handicap. However, it can also be said that people who aren’t regular stutterers do it, usually when they are nervous. I also wonder about things like stammering, which is similar to stuttering, except it usually involves a person saying “um” before speaking. I remember a boy that I knew growing up who did this. Would it be considered a disability? I also agree that things like dyslexia are very specific learning disabilities. It’s not like ADD, which is a little more severe, since it affects the ability to focus. Dyslexia is more specifically geared towards difficulty in reading. Anthony doesn’t seem to show signs of dyslexia, but I would like to know if he ever was diagnosed with it but got better.

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Haley Alwardi

7/24/2017 03:36:41 pm

Hi James,
I thought your comment above was really interesting. I am an ABA and when I first saw Anthony I had a feeling as well that he had ASD. Im really interested in learning about the work that he does with his ABA and BCBA. I also agree with your comment about dyslexia. The way that he was reading the book to his friend made it seem like there was never any dyslexia with Anthony.

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Lily Chase-Lubitz

7/24/2017 03:48:29 pm

Hi James,

I really appreciate that you shared your story about your experience with Aspergers Syndrome. I think it is really helpful to hear observations on Anthony from someone who has both studied and has experienced Autism/Aspergers. You ask a great question regarding stammering. Although I would not necessarily categorize stammering as a disability, it is important to recognize that this is because I have never struggled with stammering. Someone who has struggled with stammering might very well categorize this as a communication disability.

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Tory Small

7/24/2017 07:05:37 pm

James,
Thank you for sharing your experience having Aspergers Syndrome with the class. I also really appreciate you sharing about your experience while in middle/high school in class. I am curious about stuttering and stammering as well and find it interesting that you brought it up.

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Sara Cane

7/24/2017 11:11:25 pm

James, thank you for sharing your past experiences and personal diagnosis. I’m sure this is helpful in your observations and work on Anthony. I agree with you that I am not seeing clear signs of dyslexia within Anthony. However, I don’t know that he would have ever been diagnosed and later overcame. Keep in mind it is a learning disability that one will always have however, can be supported or managed. Thanks for sharing your ideas!

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Lily Montagna

7/24/2017 02:14:04 pm

I watched multiple videos from each of the three learning disabilities, and I noticed two main themes that made me wonder if they could apply to Anthony’s learning environment. Individuals who were sharing their own experiences as a person with a learning disability, or examples given in different videos of what life might be like as someone with said disability, seemed to have two messages in common across the board. The first was that once a person discovered they had a learning disability, it transformed the way they lived because they had a comprehensive understanding of why they learned the way they did. Additionally, they developed a knowledge base of what they could do to learn effectively and live more fully from a social standpoint. The second theme I saw was that most of these people were sharing the challenges they had from being misunderstood or mislabeled by others as “stupid” or “weird.”
While I don’t doubt that Anthony is well acquainted with the challenges he encounters daily given his learning disabilities, I wonder if he has been clearly explained why he struggles with speech or why it is hard for him to focus during math. Would that help him to tackle his every day learning in a more informed way? Or has he already had a conversation with a parent or teacher about his disabilities? I wonder if his family saw any changes in his attitude or learning following that conversation.
Simultaneously, the themes I noticed made me wonder if being explicit about Anthony’s learning disabilities would provide him with a more understanding, supportive classroom environment and community. Since the peers in his 3rd grade classroom assume he is an ELL student still learning English, it is clear that they have not been informed as to his specific learning disability. I believe that introducing sign language to his upcoming 4th grade classroom would be a powerful tool for fostering an inclusive, community environment, and I wonder if explaining his apraxia would help motivate students to fully embrace the sign language due to a fuller understanding of his learning needs.

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Isabella Delmoral

7/24/2017 08:58:56 pm

Hi Lily,

I think you make a great point, in regard to informing Anthony about why he struggles with certain things. From what I have seen, he does seem pretty confident, which may be because he knows what the problems are and he knows he can get through them. However, if he does not know, I would definitely explain to him as soon as possible. I believe the earlier children are aware of their disabilities, the easier it will be to cope with their issues.

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Haley Alwardi

7/24/2017 03:31:58 pm

The first video I watched about specific learning disabilities was Dyslexia Explained: What’s it Like Being Dyslexic?. This learning disability is a language based disability in which a person has a hard time understanding written words. This video was made so that the viewer had the perspective of not only the teacher or the adults, but the student as well. I found this video very helpful because it explained why dyslexia is under the umbrella of specific learning disabilities. People who have dyslexia use their brains differently, not wrong just different. Their brains are larger than the typical human brain. This video is very helpful to me as a future teacher because it let me see how my students who have this specific learning disability could feel.
Autism is a very complex disability. There are many videos and much written on the topic, but every person who has ASD is very different. One of the videos I watched was BBC: My Autism and Me. This video, much like the previous video that I watched is in the perspective of the child. In this video, the girl explains how people with autism have a hard time fitting into the world around them. I really enjoyed this video because I work with clients who have ASD and its really interesting to see a video through the eyes of someone with ASD.
Another video I watched was a video about communication disorders. This video was very interesting to me. I liked being able to see a video that was not specifically about children. This video made me really think about how often I see characters on television shows that have different disabilities. I think that if children with any type of a disability can find a character that they can relate to it would make a huge impact on their views of themselves and their confidence.
We know that Anthony has multiple disabilities. Based on what we have seen in class we know that Anthony needs a lot of one on one help and constant support from her teachers. I think that a now, next, then card is something that would be really helpful to him. Even a token board where Anthony can choose a reward to work towards. Just because he has multiple disabilities does not mean that he cannot learn just as much as the rest of his peers, he just may need to learn a little differently.

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Sam Sinotte

7/24/2017 06:38:42 pm

I liked how the videos on each disability showed us the viewpoint and emotions that a students with that disability faces. It is hard for me to relate to their struggles because I never faced much struggles learning in school, so I was interested to see it from their vantage point. We know so many of Anthony's interests, and I think making a reward based off of his interests can be a positive way of helping him learn.

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Yan Li Xu

7/25/2017 05:51:50 am

Hi Haley,
I agree with you that these videos are insightful in letting us understand how a person with learning disability, autism or communication disability feels. For a teacher, who have not faced these struggles before it might be a little hard to understand their student’s thinking. I like how you end your blog. I agree that Anthony can succeed and he is just learning a little differently.

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Janine Steinhauser

7/24/2017 05:57:43 pm

While researching the 3 types of disabilities that are often seen in public schools, I started by watching the video with Dr. Susan Nolan about the Orton Gillingham lesson with a dyslexic child. I was intrigued by this video because I haven’t heard of the Orton Gillingham methods before. One thing that I noticed throughout the video was that Dr. Nolan would gently correct the student when she made a mistake. She would ask the student to look at what she had written and see if it makes the same sound she heard. The student would quickly realize her mistake and would correct herself. Then Dr. Nolan would say, “Great job proofreading”. Throughout the video Dr. Nolan gave the student lots of positive and specific feedback. I also really liked how she would show the student little visuals to help her remember specific letters and letter sounds, ones that the student could make with her hands to help her remember. I am a huge visual learner and I think this would have been an extremely helpful tool for me when I was learning my letters and sounds.

For the second video, I watched Looney Toons and Communication disorders. This video explores the different cartoons that have characters with communication disorders. Growing up and until right now, I had no idea that these characters had communication disorders. Tweety Bird has an articulation disorder with substitution, Porky Pig has a stutter and difficulty with fluency, and Daffy Duck has mispronunciation with a lisp. If I were a student struggling with these communication disorders, it would have made me feel better to know that some of my favorite cartoon characters also struggled with these disorders.

I also read about a number of different inclusive strategies that teachers can use in the classroom. Ones such as: reader’s theater, read aloud, literature circles, choral reading, think aloud, visual imagery, and think pair share. While reading about these, I began to think that Anthony might really enjoy doing a Reader’s Theater. It could be a great way to successfully integrate him into a classroom setting. However, based on all of our research and studies so far, I know that Anthony will benefit the most from one-on-one learning.

Janine, I also watched the Orton Gillingham video. I totally agree with the fact that Dr. Nolan was gently correcting the student which was definitely very helpful for a dyslexic. After struggling with self esteem in the classroom I bet it's super helpful for a teacher to be so kind and calm working with the student who has only found frustration when working with words and letters before.

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Sam Sinotte

7/24/2017 06:25:48 pm

I did not struggle to learn when I was in school and I took my positive learning experience for granted. Reading articles and watching the videos about different disabilities, I got a firsthand account of what it looks like and the emotions children may feel who are seen in the classroom as different. I was surprised to see Steven Spielberg and Whoopi Goldberg share their experience with dyslexia, and credit some of their success to their disability. Hearing their stories, and stories of how other people deal with and cope with their disability shows the positive attitude that people can have, and provides a role model and support system for students who are going through the same experience. The main takeaway I gathered to help teach dyslexic children is to focus more on visuals and gestures in order to help remember and be able to recall the information. Visuals appear in a large amount of Anthony’s day, with his daily schedule, self-evaluation, which is infrequent, academic information, such as matching coins. I wonder if having access to visuals helps him recall previously learned information, and if adding more visuals to reading and letter sounds could add to his success.

I was really interested in the TED talk about what we know about Autism, as well as what we do not know. Watching the TED talk really gave me more information on what is believed to cause Autism, as well as common misconception, such as the belief that vaccination leads to Autism. I had a parent in the K1 classroom I was in who was going through the process of accepting her son’s diagnosis of Autism. I felt unprepared to address her concerns, and answer her questions, but the lead teacher in the room was able to provide her with information and resources to help ease her in to the realization of his disability.

Watching videos and learning more about Specific Learning Disability, Autism, and Communication disabilities, I could not help but categorize Anthony as having each disability. From classroom, and home observations, he seems to be unable to do his work independently, and constantly needs one-on-one support. We have been able to see some progress in his speech, but his ability to retain and recall previously learned information has been a consistent pattern that we have noted since seeing his initial observations. Perhaps incorporating more of his interests into his learning, such as vehicles, the patriots, or even his best friend, in a visual way could possibly help him learn. I also notice that the majority of his feedback is the phrases “good job!” which is providing no specific feedback to what he is doing correctly. He seems to thrive off of that positive feedback, but making it more specific could help him understand what exactly he is doing correctly.

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Tory Small

7/24/2017 06:49:28 pm

I watched a few videos for each disability. The first videos I watched were about dyslexia, or a Specific Learning Disability, specifically Dyslexia Explained and the Orton-Gillingham intervention video. I have always had an interest in teaching students with dyslexia because my younger brother has severe dyslexia and went to a special school for his learning difference. I was always curious about how they worked differently to help him learn to read, write, and be successful in school. I really enjoyed the Dyslexia Explained video because it shows how not understanding material in the classroom can effect the student’s entire life in and out of school. I loved how the video explained how students with dyslexia use their brains differently, and can be very successful even while school is so difficult for them. The Orton Gillingham video was interesting because it showed how dyslexics are taught in a way they can learn which was also touched upon in the Dyslexia Explained video.

Next I watched the Autism Speaks video. I found this eye opening and interesting. It was frustrating to hear that Autism Speaks is only giving 4% of their services towards helping Autistics, while 44% of their budget is going towards preventative research. I agree with the speaker that it gives Autistics a reason to think they are being dehumanized and are being portrayed negatively. It was heart breaking to hear about the way the Autistics feel towards an organization that is working to help them.

Finally, I watched the Treatment and Problem Solving with Social Communication video as well as they Looney Toons Speech Disorder video. I enjoyed how social communication was explained in the first video and I found it especially interesting listening to the thought processes that happen. The Looney Toons video was fun to watch and had good examples of different types of communication disabilities, such as a lisp, substitutions and a stutter.

After watching these videos and learning more about these disabilities I think that Anthony has a Specific Learning Disability, Autism, and Communication Disability. Anthony’s hand writing makes me think he has a Specific Learning Disability. Anthony’s reading aloud and the sound of his voice make me think that he has a Communication Disability. Anthony’s mannerisms think that he as Autism.

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Caitlin Worthen

7/24/2017 08:34:53 pm

I agree that Autism Speaks should put their money towards actually helping children with Autism. They have done so much research, that they should now start to do something about it! I also agree with the disabilities that Anthony has, based on evidence. Luckily, he has lots of services and interventions that are making a positive difference in his life!

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Isabella Delmoral

7/24/2017 08:38:49 pm

Hi Tory,

I am shocked at the large percentage of the Autism Speaks budget, which goes towards preventative research. I have no idea how it must feel to have Autism, since I, nor does anyone I know have it, but I can understand people with autism's frustration about it. I doubt that by trying to prevent having a child with autism, will guarantee that it won't happen, which is why I believe Autism Speaks needs to reevaluate their budget or another organization can offer more support, through services for those with autism.

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Sara Cane

7/24/2017 11:12:02 pm

Tory I agree with you about how disappointing the autism speaks video was. Personally, I had done a lot of philanthropy work and fundraising with them during my undergrad because of my sorority’s relationship with the organization. I am curious to consider those numbers that were mentioned and find out more information about the group and its representatives.

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Janine Steinhauser

7/25/2017 07:27:40 am

Tory,

I also watched the Autism Speaks video and was completely shocked to learn about it from another perspective. I was unaware that they aren't doing more to help Autistic children live more comfortable lives. Now my point of view of the organization has completely changed. I also watched the Loony Toons video and agree with you that it had good examples of different types of communication disabilities.

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Isabella Delmoral

7/24/2017 08:16:25 pm

I was reading about Learning Disability myths when compared to reality. It made me think about how many teachers (new and experienced) may have a certain mind set about students with learning disabilities that are just untrue. Several of these myths could affect students, such as Anthony, which may prevent them from receiving a proper and deserved education. One myth, teachers must become aware of is that students with LD are not very smart, which is not true at all. Students with LD, just like any other student’s intelligence, range in terms of intelligence. In order to successfully integrate students, such as Anthony, teachers must be aware that learning disabilities are not excuses for irresponsible, unmotivated, lazy people. It can be exhausting for students with an LD to put effort into each day and their motivation is enormous. LD’s also affect people in other areas of life, outside of school. For example, Anthony has a difficult time speaking, which also affects his communication levels with his family, friends, and community. Anthony has to put in double the effort for people to understand him. Another myth, teachers must be aware of is that students with an LD cannot succeed in higher education. For students like Anthony, teachers must still set high expectations and motivate them to get past them.
As the LD myths vs. reality show that stereotypes are often wrong, it is important for students like Anthony to be part of groups, such as programs or clubs, which support and celebrate differences, such as the Loud Hands Project, which celebrates Autism. By making Anthony part of a program or club, it will allow him to make friends and become part of a community, while boosting his self-esteem. It is important for teachers to be patient and offer support to students like Anthony. Frequent visits to the speech pathologist will also help Anthony improve on his speech. During class time, it would be beneficial for Anthony to have an intervention, such as an anticipation guide to activate his prior knowledge before reading a text. Since Anthony may not understand or have a fuzzy understanding of certain things such as social cues, other social aspects, etc. due to his frequent time outside the classroom, it is important for him to get a feel of concepts before learning them. A think pair share, where Anthony can discuss and develop relationships during with other students, would also be beneficial to his learning. I believe the quicker Anthony is treated like a normal student, the better.

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Caitlin Worthen

7/24/2017 08:27:44 pm

Its interesting and sad because the myths of LDs are still seen through teachers today. Every student has some sort of strength, and it is important for teachers to make those strengths known in the classroom. Also, I don't think we should categorize students as "normal." Every child brings strengths and challenges, both inside and outside of school. This makes all of our students unique!

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Caitlin Worthen

7/24/2017 08:17:57 pm

I really enjoyed watching the video, which was called “BBC: My Autism and Me.” This video gave me an insight if what challenges people face when they have Autism. One girl said that she doesn’t know how to control her emotions properly and she she can “feel’ certain words. There was even another boy who was extremely interested in a certain game called “war hammer.” He knows all the background information on this game and enjoys painting the little pieces. He has been so obsessed with this game and he liked being in control because he knows every single rule for the game. This just proves to us that Autism comes in many different forms and can have many different side effects. As teachers, I think it is important to know your students, especially your students who have Autism. They may have certain interests that you could incorporate into the curriculum. This may help them become more interested in doing their work. This may be helpful for Anthony too because he has many interests (the Patriots, construction sites, etc..) that you could easily involve into lessons. These practices show that teachers are interested in the student and they care about their success in school. When teachers have a child who is Autistic and struggles with his or her emotions, it is useful to have a chart where they can circle what emotion they are at. If a student needs help with their emotions, it it important to come up with strategies that will work for them.

One video about Communication Disorders was about students who struggle with stuttering. These students are unable to control themselves when they start stuttering. It is our job as teachers to be patient and accepting towards them. Some students feel like they stutter less with their friends or family because they aren't worried about how they are going to sound. Some of these students could use picture cards to help them state what they want, when it is hard for them to communicate. I did notice a little stuttering with Anthony, but nothing severe. I think he would benefit from pointing to picture cards too, when he needs something and it is hard for people to understand. I also watched a video where there was a boy who had trouble sounding out the letters in his words. He especially struggled with the “s’ sounds. He had a one on one specialist that would repeat the word that he got incorrect and make him say it again. I think it is important to have repetition because that helps the student remember words better. This was a practice that was already seen being used with Anthony and I think it has been very effective so far!

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Sara Cane

7/24/2017 11:09:46 pm

The resources shared in this week’s blog were very interesting and relevant in our work with Anthony, since he has been diagnosed with the same disabilities.
The first video I watched was the TED talk on Autism- What We Know (and what we don’t know yet). This video was highly beneficial in clearing up some of the stereotypes and myths regarding to autism and its causes. I liked her visual examples and her clear explanations. I found particularly interesting the segment on infant testing. The eye and attention examination was fascinating and easy to understand. I think it is amazing that we are finding ways to diagnose at earlier ages due to this extensive research so we can advocate and support children sooner. While watching this I thought of Anthony’s diagnosis at age 3 and wonder, could they have predicted this at a sooner time?

The second group of videos I watched were focused on dyslexia, Steven Spielbergs interview, Susan Nolan teaching a child with dyslexia, and Spelling Technique for Dyslexic. The interview with Spielberg was interesting to learn about his struggles, successes, and life with dyslexia. A video such as this one would be great to share with a child with dyslexia to demonstrate all that they can achieve. Role models such as this are important for those such as Anthony, with a disability to relate with and strive to become. The other two videos regarding dyslexia demonstrated great techniques to use when teaching. I specifically liked the mothers approach to teaching spelling words and though she uses it on her son with dyslexia I think could be beneficial for any child learning to read. Taking that little extra time to draw those images is a great support and effective teaching approach for all visual learners. The part that particularly stuck out to me in the Susan Nolan video was her effective, positive reinforcement she gave throughout the lesson. I liked the way she gave clear directions, positive encouragement, modeled the expected task, and simple redirection when needed.

The video Documentary: Children Living with Communication Disorder, had a lot of valuable information pertaining to Anthony’s situation and struggles. I think his teachers and family could really benefit from some of the skills and informative skills discussed. The speech pathologist broke down the different parts of a communication disorder and the skills needed to assess them individually. Anthony would highly benefit from these tools and resources.

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Janine Steinhauser

7/25/2017 07:38:41 am

Hi Sara,

I also watched the TED Talk video and found it so interesting. I think that Wendy Chung did a great job discussing many of the misconceptions about Autism. I found it particularly interesting that the physician who wrote the journal article about how vaccines cause Autism, actually ended up losing his medical license. Also, how the article was immediately removed since there is no correlation between vaccinations and Autism.

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Yan Li Xu

7/25/2017 05:26:35 am

I watched the Steven Spielberg’s video where he discussed his struggle with dyslexia. Steven Spielberg mentions how he wasn’t diagnosed with dyslexia until five years ago. He did not get the support he needed for dyslexia and was just viewed as not working hard enough. I feel this is not a rare case and that it can easily happen. Steven Spielberg received his education in the 1950s so there are more testing for children with learning challenges now. It is important for teachers to understand why their students are struggling instead of assuming they just aren’t working hard enough.
I also watched Temple Grandin’ s TED talk about her childhood with autism. She mentioned how she was into the detail of objects like shadows and how she viewed a man riding cattle different from a man next to cattle. She describes herself as a photo realistic thinker so she thought in pictures and detail. There are many different thinkers in the autism spectrum. In a classroom, it is important to accommodate all the different thinkers and students so they will learn to work in school together.
Sometimes, teachers might struggle in understanding the student’s way of thinking. The videos really helped me in understanding how the people with learning disability, autism and communication disability think and feel. It is important for teachers to think outside the box and find different ways of reaching the student and lighting that spark in the student.
I think Anthony having one-to one aid for some classes is important for successful integration into his school. It is also important to find his interest like trucks and use that to connect to subjects he is having challenges in. I feel a visual schedule is definitely helpful for Anthony to know what will be happening next so he can prepare for it mentally.

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Sarah Morgenthaler

7/25/2017 07:35:03 am

The first video I watched was the Dyslexia Explained: What it is like being Dyslexic. I enjoyed watching this video because it was created in the eyes of a student who is dyslexic. We were able to see how he struggled in school and how it was like to take a test and do homework. Those individuals who are dyslexic use their brains differently and need to find their strengths to help them learn. I can remember back to high school where I had a really good friend who was dyslexic. I remember her always sitting in the back of the room doodling, doing what she can to avoid contact with the teacher who would one day make her read out loud. Reading out loud was terrifying to her. She read really slow and would read words incorrectly because as she explained it to me, she sometimes saw them different than how they appeared. When ever we did homework together, I always had to work slowly and be patient with her. Just like how the video talked about famous people who are dyslexic and how they use their strengths to their advantage that is exactly what my friend did. She loved Karate, Ballet and to draw and paint. We aren’t close anymore, but from what others have told me, she is now painting and dancing as well.

The second video I watched, was a ted talk featuring Faith Jegede Cole and what she learned from her two autistic brothers. She said that although her brother Remi is speechless and her brother Samuel has an “impeccable memory”. She explains that autism manifests differently and that is why her two brothers are so different. She calls both of her brothers extraordinary because although they are different from her they have taught her about individuality, communication and love. It doesn’t matter how your brain works and or how you look on the outside, all that matters is, what you is deep down inside. What you can teach others, what you can share and how you express yourselves. Those who have a learning disorder or a cognitive disorder are individuals like you and me. They have something special that can be shared and experienced. We need to be patient, sensitive, and be able to learn from EVERYONE.

The third video I watched was Looney Tunes and Communication Disorders. The video discussed all of the speech disorders the different Looney Tune characters have. I was never a big fan of Looney Tunes, but the few times I caught my brother watching I noticed that they sounded funny and different. . I always thought the writers of the show created these characters on purpose, to be funny. Little did I know, that they represent individual people in today’s society. For students who have a Communication Disorder, it might make them feel better knowing that some of their favorite cartoon characters are also struggling.

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Eilish Reynolds

8/12/2017 07:23:07 am

For autism, I found the Ted Talk: “The World Needs all kinds of minds” to be the most helpful in thinking about how to inclusively teach children with Autism. Some of my favorite quotes from the video were:
“I think in pictures, I don’t think in language”
“I have to show off my work, not myself.”
“ Autistic mind is a specific mind; great at one thing, awful at another”
“My thinking is bottom up; I take all of the pieces and put them all together.”
In thinking about these quotes and other important insight. I think that a good inclusive practice for Anthony would be to incorporate interesting hands on learning that fosters his ability and attention to detail. For example, because Anthony is interested in construction, use tactile learning strategies around the construction sight. Give him a problem at the construction sight and see where he goes with it. Make sure it is hands on and tactile. For example, instead of giving him specific language directions, give him a map and create a scavenger hunt with various tactile tasks.

After reading and watching videos on the specific learning disability, dyslexia, I found that some important inclusive practices are to use specific and positive praise. Instead of just saying things like “good job” ensure that you, as the teacher are specifically identifying what the positive action or response was. Moreover, I liked the video of the spelling technique using pictures as a part of the word. Highlighting the phonics concept in red, while the other letters are in black, then drawing a picture to support the concept of the word. This is a solution I think would work great for Anthony when practicing spelling patterns because he does well with visual intake and it might help him recognize and comprehend the words he is reading with the pictures as a reminder.

A Communication disability is a difficult disability to have in our world today. In schools, teachers strive to foster good communication skills with their students. We have talked a lot about Anthony’s inability to output language with accurate articulation because of his apraxia. I have also mentioned creating an app that would dictate Anthony’s language and translate it for him into something everyone can better understand. I think of this app, sort of like a google translate, in the sense that it translates the way one person speaks and comprehends language to another persons language. This could support Anthony when he is speaking to his peers who may not understand him. Moreover, it would help Anthony hear what he is trying to say.

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